Yield: 6 servings
Arroz con Pollo
Arroz con pollo, or Spanish chicken and rice, is a classic Latin American dish that's full of flavor, texture, and color. Juicy chicken is paired with flavorful yellow rice and an abundance of fresh veggies. It's a perfect dish to introduce your family to new flavors and cuisine!
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters, cut apart
- 2 tablespoons adobo seasoning
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 cups basmati rice, long-grain white rice
- 1 packet Sazon with Saffron
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- ½ cup fresh or frozen peas
- ½ cup fresh or frozen corn
- ½ cup green olives, whole or sliced
- ¼ cup pimentos, drained and chopped
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with adobo seasoning. Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Sear the chicken in batches, until all sides are nice and browned. (The chicken will continue cooking with the rice.)
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Then add the onion, garlic, and rice to the drippings. Toast the rice, stirring constantly, until it turns from opaque to white.
- Season the rice with the sazon, add the bell peppers and 5 1/2 cups of broth and stir to combine. Nestle the chicken into the rice and cover the pan with a lid. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and there is very little moisture left.
- Remove the chicken and stir in the remaining ½ cup broth, peas, corn, olives, and pimentos. Use a fork to lightly combine.
- Place the chicken back into the pan and simmer for 3 more minutes, just to heat everything through again. Serve immediately!
Notes
Store: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat: Place a portion in a microwave-safe bowl, cover it with a damp paper towel, and heat it for about 2 minutes, until hot. Give it a good stir half way through so it heats evenly. You can also heat it up in the oven if you have a little more time at 350°F for about 15 minutes.
Freeze: Freeze cooled leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Brown the Chicken: This isn’t a step you want to skip! Browning the chicken gives the skin a great texture and flavor. Plus, all those chicken drippings add a massive depth of flavor to the overall dish!
Toast the Rice: Toasting the rice in the chicken drippings until it browns ever so slightly gives it a rich and nutty flavor you won’t be able to resist.
Timing: You can add all the ingredients (peas, red pepper, corn, olives, and pimento) when you add all the broth if you wish. We prefer to add them later so they don’t get too soft, but it won’t hurt the dish if you choose to do so.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 527kcal, Carbohydrates: 63g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 60mg, Sodium: 309mg, Potassium: 589mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1064IU, Vitamin C: 41mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 2mg